Quake In The Cage 2: Meet Vincent Duchetta

With Quake in the Cage 2 coming up on August 29 in Arcadia,California I figured it was time to learn more about the owners of the promotion. As it turned out the guys responsible for these shows are pioneers who were the first to bring live MMA shows to the San Gabriel Valley of Southern California. They even have an award winning documentary based on their early events. Their names are Vince Duchetta and his partner/professional cage fighter Daniel Hernandez of The Vault MMA in Monrovia California.

My introduction to this duo and their Ring Of Fire events came via the award winning documentary “Inside The Ring Of Fire” back in early 2010.  The film is made from footage taken from the early non-sanctioned events held at their gym. The documentary was made by producer Kevin Slowik who also narrates the film.  It is Kevin’s voice over work that adds a unique and appropriately gritty, raw feel to the film. For those interested in watching it, and I do recommend it, the documentary is now available to buy at the films web site or for rent on YouTube.

As for the “histrionics” of  The Ring of Fire? Well it all started on June 4th 2000. Vincent Duchetta opened Ring of Fire Martial Arts Academy teaching Hapkido (check Vince’s 1998 Black Belt Magazine article link here) and Submission Grappling. Back then, most Dojos were strict about what discipline was taught, either you learned stand up or ground fighting but hardly both. It was during a return trip from a fight in Japan that Vince coined the name Ring of Fire, the term paid homage to the various fighting martial arts styles he was exposed to throughout his professional career.

In 2004, Daniel Hernandez, fresh out of a successful career in NCAA Wrestling, came to a cross road that every wrestler’s career faces; what do you do next? In Daniel’s case he began training with Vince honing in on his stand up by learning Hapkido. With his knowledge of American Wresting, Jiu Jitsu and Hapkido, Daniel’s career in mixed martial arts fighting was clearly the answer to the question “what do you do next”.

In 2008, Daniel and Vince partnered to open The Vault MMA & Fitness in Old Town Monrovia and expanded it’s classes to include Kickboxing, Kids After School Programs, Grappling, Hapkido, Jiu Jitsu as well as Mixed Martial Arts. The dojo made it’s mark in the San Gabriel Valley early on hosting Hapkido Tournaments, Kickboxing Events and later Full Contact Mixed Martial Arts Fight Nights that became the basis for the documentary “Inside The Ring Of Fire”.

The Vault MMA’s “Team Ring of Fire” is celebrating it’s 10th Anniversary in 2010 and has partnered with Old School Promotions in association with CAMO-MMA.org to bring MMA back to the San Gabriel Valley.  They began the effort by re-launching Ring 0f Fire Amateur MMA Fight Nite on June 25th, 2010 in Arcadia CA, with five events scheduled to follow.

One very nice feature of the Quake in the Cage Events is the focus that Vince and Daniel put on the amateur fighters by holding a “Weigh In” one week prior to the event at Dave and Busters in Arcadia. These “mock weigh in’s allow the fighters to get some press, have family friends and fans gather and generally get the feel of what it is like to be a professional. It is a great event that helps to recognize the effort these fighters put into being “cage ready”.

The next event Quake In The Cage 2 will be held in Arcadia at the Elks Lodge #2025 27 W. Huntington Drive and tickets are moving fast with Ring side at $65 VIP at $45 and General at $30.

If you are a CAMO fighter there are a few spots open on the card in the following weight classes: 135, 155, 160-65, 185 and Heavy (215-240) contact Vince Duchetta at (626)786-1211.